Orifice dilators are commonly used surgical instruments in a variety of medical procedures. Urethral dilators are used by gynecological urologists and urologists treating female patients. In obstetrics and gynecology, dilation is often a prerequisite for the placement and removal of intrauterine devices, induction of labor, radium placement, drainage of the uterine cavity, endometrial biopsy procedures, uterine curettage, and a variety of other procedures.
In these procedures, dilation should be accomplished gradually. One approach is to construct the dilator of a fiber material which absorbs fluid and expands when placed in a body cavity. This approach is exemplified by the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,624,258 to Stubbs and 241,569 to Stohlman et al. Such devices can be used only once, must be carefully sterilized through the entire article, and--because they are fibrous--can be subject t fraying and splintering. Another approach is to use a set of graduated size dilators constructed of surgical steel, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 672,377 to Kearns. A disadvantage of such sets, however, is that the physician must handle a cumbersome number of instruments.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a set of surgical dilators which may be easily sterilized and reused.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a set of surgical dilators which are assembled as a single surgical instrument, and do not require a physician to work with a number of separate instruments to accomplish dilation.